Crass I. CF. ALT 
drinks little: is fond of fifh: ic wafhes its face 
with its fore-foot, (Lianzus fays at the approach of 
a ftorm:) the female is remarkably falacious; a 
piteous, {qualling, jarring lover. Its eyes fhine in 
the night: its hair when rubbed in the dark e- 
mits fire: it is even proverbially tenacious of life: 
always lights. on its feet: is fond of perfumes; 
Marum, Cai-mint, valerian, &c*, 
Our anceftors feem to have had a high fenfe 
of the utility of this animal. That excellent Prince 
Hoel dda, or Howel the Good, did not think it 
beneath him (among his laws relating to the prices, 
&c. of animals +,) to include that of the cat; and 
to defcribe the qualities it ought to have. The 
price of a kitling before it could fee, was to be a 
penny; till it caught a moufe two-pence; when 
it commenced moufer four-pence. It was required 
befides, that it fhould be perfect in its fenfes of 
hearing and feeing, be a good mouler, have the 
claws whole, and be a good nurfe: but if it fail- 
ed in any of thefe qualities, the feller was to forfeit 
‘to the buyer the third part of its value. If any 
one ftole or killed the cat that guarded the Prince’s 
eranary, he was to forfeit a milch ewe, its fleece 
and lamb; or as much wheat as when poured on 
the cat fufpended by its tail (the head touching the 
floor) would form a heap high enough to cover 
* Vide Lin. fyft. 
+ Leges Wallica, p. 247, 248. 
G2 the 
83 
